If you’re a new stylist or struggling to find your place in the industry, we see you.
This industry is full of incredible opportunities to create whatever lifestyle you crave, but it’s also full of a lot of noise, making it hard to know where to start.
That’s why today we’re cutting out the guesswork and digging into what cosmetology graduates or salon professionals looking to make a change need to know for massive success.
What’s holding you back?
Before we can start your path to success, it’s important to identify what’s holding you back. This will clarify where you need to focus to move forward.
If you’re new or trying to find your footing in the industry, one or more of these five major barriers are in your way:
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Money. When you’re starting out in the industry or walking down a new path, money is generally not in abundance.
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Skills. You need to have the skills to serve your dream clientele.
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Digital presence. The internet rules our world, meaning having a digital presence is key.
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Confidence. Instead of trying to be perfect, focus on leaning (and sometimes failing) forward.
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Clients. The irony is you can’t get more clients until you’ve mastered confidence, skills, and money.
Sound familiar? If so, you’re not alone. Many professionals across the industry are struggling with the same things.
The good news? You can make changes right now to start towards success.
Create your success plan
Your success plan will look different depending on where you’re starting and the path you choose to walk. After coaching thousands of stylists to success, we’ve noticed these things are key to success:
Plan to work 40 hours a week to build a clientele
New stylists, listen up. Working 40 hours a week might not be what you had in mind, but it’s key to setting yourself up for success.
That doesn’t mean you have to work every one of those hours behind the chair. Take clients for 32 hours a week and spend the other eight hours on business strategy.
If you can’t work 40 hours a week, it will likely take longer to build a clientele. But you can counterbalance that by spending more time working on your business.
Not a new stylist but trying to build up your clientele? Consider following this same plan so you have dedicated time to work on your business.
Create an education plan
Confidence comes from education, so make sure you’re always learning. How? Make a plan.
Know which classes, workshops, events you want to attend and when. Identify what you will learn in each class and how you’ll put it into play in your business. This helps you get the return on your time and money investment, and helps push your business forward.
But all education is not good education. Build time into your plan to find trusted mentors and advisors to help guide you. We’d love to support you in your journey.
Build your digital footprint
Many stylists we talk to are shocked that websites still matter, but think about it. In a time where Instagram is unstable and TikTok may be banned in the United States, your website is the only piece of the internet you own.
Should you still invest time and energy into social media? Yes…for now. Want to dig deeper into what’s going on with social media? Listen in.
Want to skip the techy stuff and get your hands on a website template built for the industry? Check out Website Academy Templates!
Choose active marketing
There are two types of marketing: active and passive. And only one will push you forward to success…want to guess which?
If you said active, you’re right! Active marketing are activities that actively (see what we did there?) get you in front of your dream clientele. Versus passive marketing strategies like hashtags, geotags, and asking for referrals.
When you’re just starting or building a clientele, you have to be active, not wait for people to come to you. So take a deep breath and put yourself out there! Want to dig deeper? Click here.
Get 25 photos of each guest
Yes, even if you hate how their hair turned out. Because even if you never post the photos, you need to get comfortable posing clients, taking pictures, and writing captions. It’s okay to not feel confident in these areas, but you won’t get better unless you put in the reps.
Yes, it’s awkward at first. Yes, if you’re still in school, you might feel embarrassed that people know you’re new. Push through, own where you are in your journey, and enjoy it. It’s fun!
Look for a salon that prioritizes the right things
There are a lot of salons out there, so how do you find the right one for you? Look for a salon that:
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Prioritizes marketing
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Has a defined growth path
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Is progressive
If you can’t find that, that’s okay. If you can only find a cool spot that’s cool with available chairs, it is what it is. Just realize you’ll have to invest more time and money into educating yourself.
Go all in on the industry
This is the key to making all the other pieces of the success plan work. Be a sponge, learn all the things, explore, ask lots of questions, get curious. Just starting out? Make sure to take a wide variety of clients your first year too.
It’s only when you open yourself up to everything that the industry and the universe has to offer that your true path to success becomes clear.
You might have noticed there’s one thing we didn’t touch a lot on in the success plan list: clients. That’s because doing good business isn’t actually built on doing clientele.
Those who achieved the freedom-filled life we all crave understand that business strategy is what earns you money.
The good news is this is easier than it sounds! If you need guidance, check out Thriving Stylist Method! It’s your solution for more new guest requests, increased retention and income without working more hours behind the chair.
